Terms to Know:

Delta

  • Symbol = Δ
  • It means change (as in change of position).
  • The fourth letter in the Greek alphabet.
  • Geography Connection: a delta is also low, watery land formed at the mouth of a river. It is formed when the faster moving water carrying silt, sand, and small rocks that flows downstream in a river meets a bigger, slower moving body of water. (Think of going down a water slide and landing in a pool...there is a big CHANGE of speed!) The sediments are often (but not always) deposited in the shape of a triangle.

Distance

Symbol = d

Distance Equation

xf - xi = d



where xf = final (ending) position, xi = initial (starting) position, and d = the distance travelled.

Position


Definition: An object's location at a given time.
Example: If an object is at 100 meters for a starting point, 100 is it's position.

Equation
An Equation is a mathematical statement showing relationships between quantifiable variables.
Final Position
Symbol: Xf - pg13ldms pg13ldms Feb 16, 2009
The position of an object at the end of a motion. - kari4215 kari4215 Feb 16, 2009


Variables

A factor or condition that can change and might affect the outcome of an experiment.

Motion
The act of changing position.

Reference Point
A specific location used to monitor change of position.
Reference points can be on a moving object of in an object's environment.

Initial Position




The symbol is Xi.
Its definition is the position of an object at the start of a motion.
Example: The starting poing is 50 its final positon is 150. So the initial position is 50.

Graph
A two coordinate system for displaying and analyzing an independent variable.

Independent and Dependent Variables
Independent Variable- the variable that is changed on purpose by the experimenter in an expierement
- goes on the x axis on a graph (horizontal)

Dependent Variable- the variable that is predicted or caused by the independent variable (the data) It is the variable that is obserbed and mesured in response to the independent variable.
- goes on the y axis on a graph (vertical)

TIP- to determine which variable is the independent variable,ask yourself: "What do I know before the expiriment starts?"

Location and position mean the same thing.











Not on this test:

Speed (symbol:v) the distance traveled by an object in a unit of time. Speed is reported in standard units of distance per unit time, such as meters per second or kilometers per hour. - gotchalk5652 gotchalk5652 Feb 16, 2009 - TmbrWlvsTchr TmbrWlvsTchr Feb 16, 2009